From magical Mayan ruins to moreish mezcal, Tulum serves up a trip to remember
Our guide spots it first – 5ft long and as craggy as the stone it stands on, a fully grown male iguana silhouetted against the Caribbean waters below.
I crouch to eye level and we regard each other.
“There’s another,” shouts a woman behind me and soon we can see them everywhere, like a prehistoric army guarding the clifftop Mayan temple.
Caving in
Originally called Zama, meaning sunrise, the city of Tulum on Mexico’s Riviera Maya coastline has been dazzling visitors since the Spanish arrived 500 years ago.
For £7 you can visit its majestic ruins (and meet the wildlife!), and for an extra £25 a local guide brings it to life, showing us the temple of the honey-bee god, as well as the altar where human sacrifices were once made.
Afterwards, I head straight for the cool bliss of Cenote Calavera – or Skull Cenote as it’s also known.
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More than 6,000 of these cave pools dot the Yucatán Peninsula – and I can’t wait to explore this one.
I pause on the rocky ledge, take a breath and jump.
As I surface, I can see bats zipping in and out above me.
It’s the perfect antidote to the humid jungle.
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A new motto
Back in Tulum, strolling on the white sand beside the turquoise sea, I can see why Leonardo DiCaprio and Gigi Hadid are fans.
My hotel, Motto by Hilton Tulum, has teamed up with luxe beach club Bagatelle, a 15-minute taxi ride away, to offer free entry and seafront loungers to guests.
I sip on the signature Clementine cocktail – a mix of tequila, Aperol, agave syrup and habanero bitters, £16 – while watching pelicans fish the surf ().
The hotel sits in the boutique Hunab Lifestyle Center, with the Ancestral Jungle Bar on its doorstep, serving an array of smoky local mezcals.
My favourite is 400 Conejos, £10.
Rooms are compact but stylish – the real joy is Motto’s rooftop terrace with two infinity pools overlooking the immense jungle of Jaguar National Park.
Find hearty burritos, £17, and spicy Sante Fe salads, £11, at the bar, while Quinto Elemento Spa offers decent back, neck and shoulder massages, from £45.
In the centre of town, seafood restaurant Sabor de Mar has a charming terrace and mouth-watering ceviche of shrimp, white fish and octopus, £14 ().
Downtown days
I discover the best shopping in Tulul Pueblo – AKA downtown Tulum – a few days later.
The main road is a vibrant thoroughfare lined with intriguing stores.
Mixik is great for locally crafted souvenirs, like ceramics and jewellery, while at Madre Tierra Organic Beauty Shop, I stock up on its coconut and aloe shampoo bars ().
Locals tell me Taqueria Honorio serves the best tacos in Tulum and I’m soon glad that I listened.
The place looks a bit scruffy, but the flavours are amazing.
I feast on a trio filled with the signature pork dishes of the Yucatán: cochinita pibil, lechon al horno and poc-chuc – the latter being the standout with its zingy citrus marinade – just £1.30 each.
Taco about a great end to a brilliant beach break…
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FYI
Doubles at Motto by Hilton Tulum cost from £100 per night ().
Flights from the UK to Tulum cost from £530 return.
